


Better than Bullets

by RandomSlasher (Randomslasher)



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 12:54:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12388503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Randomslasher/pseuds/RandomSlasher
Summary: Virgil and Patton watch scary movies together.





	Better than Bullets

The good news was he’d gotten Virgil to agree to a movie night, just the two of them, in honor of the anxious side’s upcoming favorite holiday: Halloween. 

The _better_ news was that Virgil was feeling so relaxed with Patton these days that, halfway through the evening, he had drifted off, curled up with his head on Patton’s shoulder and his arm draped over his waist. 

The bad news was that the nonstop Halloween specials that were currently cycling through the TV in the commons had taken a turn, and instead of the relatively benign features like _Hocus Pocus_  and _The Nightmare Before Christmas,_  the TV was now showing _Child’s Play_. 

And the worst news of all: the remote was out of reach, and Logan and Roman were having a bonding night of their own, immersed in strategy games and well out of earshot in Logan’s realm. 

Which mean that Patton had two choices: he could shift Virgil away from him in order to get the remote, risking waking him up and ensuring that their cuddling would be over for the night--unthinkable--or he could...could...

_Watch Chucky._

He gulped, trying to summon every last ounce of courage within him as killer Brad Dourif performed the ritual to put his body into that of a beloved children’s doll. He did his best not to flinch or scream, when the doll itself was purchased by a young mother for her sweet trusting little boy. But after the first murder--the babysitter Maggie--Patton couldn’t stand it anymore. He couldn’t watch this; he simply _couldn’t_. 

Still, waking Virgil was not an option. So he settled for grabbing two of the couch’s smaller throw pillows, pressing one to each ear, and squeezing his eyes closed tight. 

And that--that was better. He could still feel Virgil sleeping against him, which was nice, but he couldn’t see or hear the movie anymore. So...problem solved, really. And Logan thought he was the smart one. Hah! Ol’ Dad had _plenty_ of tricks up his sleeve. Besides, being like this was sort of...nice, in a weird way. Almost peaceful. It was quiet, and calm, and he could probably get used to--

_\--sudden fingertips against his cheek, light and cold and probing--_

_“Yeeaaaaaaacck!”_ An unholy shriek of terror burst from Patton’s throat, and he lurched backward, flinging the throw pillows away from himself in some kind of last-ditch offensive maneuver. One slid harmlessly across the coffee table and onto the carpet; the other flew across the room, bounced off the top of the tv, and made an tremendous clatter in the blinds covering the sliding glass door before finally landing with a soft, anti-climactic  _puft._    


Patton opened his eyes and found himself staring down at a very wide-eyed Virgil, whose fingers were still half-extended toward Patton’s cheek. 

_Oh._

In the beat of silence that followed, Patton managed to squeak, “You’re not Chucky,” and that was all it took. 

Virgil’s face contorted in that way it did when he was trying and failing to keep himself from laughter. But then--then, something miraculous happened. He stopped pressing his lips together, stopped holding back, and his face split into the most beautiful, broad, happy grin Patton had ever seen. And then it got  _better_ , because then--then Virgil was laughing, and not his usual little chuckle, but a deep, hearty belly-laugh that had Patton’s entire heart beaming with joy and delight and if he had to waltz around the room with Chucky himself to make Virgil make that sound, he’d do it. Oh, in a heartbeat. 

Virgil leaned forward and Patton was temporarily disappointed not to be able to see that grin, but Virgil buried his face in Patton’s chest and clung to him, shaking with his delighted peals of laughter, and that--that was worth losing sight of him. That was worth just about _anything_ , and even the frightening images and sounds that were still flickering across the screen couldn’t bother Patton now, because Virgil was in his arms and Virgil was clinging to him and _Virgil was laughing_. 

Patton wrapped his arms tight around Virgil’s shoulders, and then he laughed too, letting his own sheepish guffaws join Virgil’s hysterical near-shrieks and occasional snorts and oh, he’d never, ever seen him let _go_  like this, not once, and it was so amazing that Patton was absolutely certain there were tears on his face too, even as he laughed along. 

It took a long, long time, but when they finally got themselves under control (and could look at one another without bursting into fresh giggles), Virgil sat up and pulled away. Patton was disappointed, but only until Virgil grabbed the remote, paused the movie, then leaned back in against him. Patton snugged his arm around Virgil’s shoulders again, cuddling back against him happily. 

“Why on earth were you watching that?” Virgil asked, wiping at the tears that had utterly destroyed his make-up (though for once, Virgil didn’t seem to care).   


“I...I don’t know, it just came on after Nightmare Before Christmas,” Patton shrugged. “I couldn’t reach the remove without disturbing you.” 

“You could’ve disturbed me,” Virgil told him, looking bemused. “It wouldn’t have been that big of a deal.”   


“I guess so. I just...” Patton shrugged. “I didn’t want to wake you. You don’t get enough sleep as it is, and...you looked...” he shrugged again, blushing a little. “Comfortable.” 

Virgil stared at him for a second, his face an unreadable mask of something like awe and confusion and amusement. “So instead, you...you were hiding? In the pillows?” His voice was high and quavery and Patton knew the sound of an incoming second wave of giggles when he heard one. 

“Well, more...blocking out the sounds.” 

“Blocking out the--oh, God, Pat. I love you so much,” Virgil breathed, and Patton’s breath hitched in his chest and his heart filled to bursting and tears stung his eyes anew.  


“I love you, too, kiddo,” he said, and Virgil grinned and hugged him _hard_ , for several very long moments.   


“Okay,” he said at last, pulling away. “Let’s turn this off. What do you want to watch instead?”   


Patton opened his mouth to say _whatever you like, kiddo!_  What came out was, “Could-- _could_ we watch this, actually?” 

Virgil looked just as stunned as Patton felt. “But--but you hate scary movies,” he said. “You were _hiding_  from it a second ago, Pat. Why on earth would you _want_  to--?” 

“You like them,” Patton pointed out. “And...and I didn’t want to watch it _alone_ , but with you protecting me...” he shrugged. “I thought...I dunno, I thought it could be...fun.”   


He was blushing, as Virgil regarded him quietly for several seconds, and he thought about retracting the offer, playing it off, saying he was just kidding after all and could they maybe watch Coraline or Corpse Bride or Beetlejuice--but then Virgil smiled, and nodded. 

“Okay,” he said. “But if we’re going to embark on a true horror movie marathon, we’re going to need popcorn. That’s rule number one. You gotta have popcorn. It’s like ammo.”   


“Are we going to throw popcorn at the scary doll?” Patton asked, as Virgil squirmed off the couch and reached down to pull Patton up after him. 

“Absolutely,” Virgil agreed, grinning at him. “Ten points every time we hit him.”   


“And popcorn works?”   


“Better than bullets,” Virgil promised.   


Patton beamed. “Okay. Popcorn it is. And maybe hot cocoa.” 

Virgil laughed, and to Patton’s joy, the anxious side folded himself into Patton’s arms for another brief but sincere hug. 

“Yeah, Dad,” he mumbled into Patton’s shoulder, and Patton’s heart soared. “Definitely hot cocoa.” 

*    



End file.
